Chris Sale named National League Cy Young finalist after 200 strikeouts

MLB Network announced Tuesday that Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale is a finalist for the National League Cy Young Award. The 37-year-old pitcher shares the nod with Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski and Philadelphia Phillies southpaw Cristopher Sánchez.

Sale posted a 2.16 earned run average and struck out 200 batters during the 2026 season. He recorded those numbers over 162.2 innings. His performance contributed to the Braves finishing with the fifth-best team earned run average in baseball at 3.63.

The veteran starter served as a stabilizing force for a rotation that suffered injuries during the team's 94-win campaign. Sale threw alongside Bryce Elder, Grant Holmes, Martin Perez, and Tyler Mahle. The group helped fuel Atlanta's push to secure the National League East title.

A key moment in Sale's season arrived on Aug. 27, when he pitched an 11-strikeout complete-game shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That performance reinforced his status as a dominant pitcher despite a period where injuries limited him to just 151 innings between 2020 and 2023.

Sale previously won the award in 2024 after leading the major leagues with 18 wins and posting a 2.38 earned run average. He signed a one-year contract extension worth $27 million in February. That deal includes a club option for $30 million in 2028.

Jacob Misiorowski enters the vote as the favorite. He finished with a 16-5 record, a 1.80 earned run average, and 252 strikeouts across 174 and two-thirds innings in 30 starts. Cristopher Sánchez is the third finalist in the race.

The award winner will be announced on Nov. 11. Braves manager Walt Weiss is also a finalist for National League Manager of the Year, a vote expected to conclude on Nov. 10. Weiss replaced Brian Snitker and led the team to its first division title since 2023.